How Sarah Kagan’s Approach to Authenticity Applies to Video Interviews
Some of the strongest interview moments happen after the planned answer ends.
Sarah Kagan, a speaker and coach working at the intersection of grief and work, argues that authenticity requires more than giving someone permission to speak. It also requires enough patience to let them answer in their own way and on their own timing.
Her Authority Magazine interview focuses on grief, trust, psychological safety, curiosity, and what helps people feel able to show up more honestly at work.
Beverly Boy’s applications below extend Kagan’s workplace principles to interview preparation, sensitive questions, silence, and editing.
Kagan’s five strategies are “Ask, don’t assume,” “Less is more,” “Bring back ‘I don’t know,’” “Embrace the cringe,” and “Go first.”
Ask Before You Decide What the Answer Should Be
Kagan’s first principle is “Ask, don’t assume.”
She contrasts telling someone how they should feel with asking a question that gives them room to describe their own experience.
That distinction matters in interviews.
A producer may arrive with a strong idea of the story, but the subject still needs space to provide their version of it.
Instead of asking a question that already contains the expected answer, use prompts such as:
“What changed for you?”
“What was difficult about that moment?”
“What do you wish people understood?”
Those questions can produce more useful material than asking someone to confirm a message already written into the script.
Let Silence Do Some of the Work
Kagan’s second strategy is “Less is more.”
She explains that silence can be uncomfortable, but filling every pause can take away someone’s chance to think and respond. In her workshops, she has found that waiting often leads to examples she would not have predicted herself.
Interviewers can use the same restraint.
After a meaningful answer, wait.
Do not immediately jump to the next question or finish the subject’s sentence. A few extra seconds may give the person time to remember another detail or continue into the part of the story that matters most.
Make Room for “I Don’t Know”
Kagan’s third strategy is to bring back the phrase “I don’t know.”
Her point is that uncertainty does not always signal weakness. Sometimes admitting that you do not have the right words creates more room for presence and honesty.
For leadership and employee video, not every response needs to sound perfectly resolved.
If someone needs a moment, let them take it. If they do not know how to answer immediately, rephrase the question or return to it later.
The goal is not polished certainty at any cost. It is a usable answer that still sounds like the person speaking.
Do Not Edit Every Human Moment Away
Kagan’s fourth principle is “Embrace the cringe.”
She argues that people often become so focused on appearing professional that they stop allowing small moments of personality and self-expression to show.
Corporate interviews can become stiff when every laugh, pause, restart, or informal phrase is treated as something that needs to be removed.
Good editing still matters, but not every imperfect moment weakens the piece.
A natural laugh, thoughtful pause, or less rehearsed answer may help viewers feel that they are hearing from a person rather than a spokesperson delivering approved copy.
Let Leaders Model the Tone
Kagan’s fifth strategy is “Go first.”
Her point is that authenticity cannot simply be required from others. Someone in a position of influence has to model the behavior first.
For company video, leadership can set that tone.
If executives speak only in perfectly rehearsed language while employees are expected to tell vulnerable personal stories, the imbalance may be noticeable.
A leader does not need to disclose more than is appropriate. They can speak plainly, acknowledge uncertainty where it exists, and answer questions in their own voice.
Do Not Assume Authenticity Looks the Same for Everyone
Kagan emphasizes curiosity when people respond differently.
She describes how two people experiencing grief may react in completely different ways. Her point is that an authentic culture does not require everyone to express themselves in the same way.
Video teams should remember that during interviews.
Some people are expressive immediately. Others need more time. Some tell stories through emotion, while others communicate through facts or quieter reflection.
Keep the visual format consistent without forcing every participant into the same interview style.
Be Careful With Sensitive Stories
Kagan’s own work grew from her experience of grief after her mother’s death and the silence she encountered when she returned to work. She later focused her career on grief-informed leadership and workplace support.
Sensitive interviews therefore need more than good questions.
Subjects should understand what the interview is for, which topics may come up, and how the footage may be used.
If someone is discussing loss, illness, workplace conflict, or another personal experience, the producer should not push for emotion simply because it might create a stronger scene.
A Practical Interview Checklist for Video Teams
Beverly Boy applies Kagan’s principles through this interview checklist:
- Clarify purpose and use. Explain the video’s goal and where footage may appear.
- Flag sensitive topics. Discuss personal questions beforehand.
- Ask openly. Invite experience rather than a predetermined answer.
- Allow pauses. Give subjects time to think.
- Listen fully. Avoid interrupting or completing their sentences.
- Offer a reset. Let subjects pause or stop when overwhelmed.
- Rephrase thoughtfully. Avoid repeatedly demanding the same line.
- Respect emotion. Do not ask subjects to recreate a reaction.
- Preserve personality. Keep natural moments when they support meaning.
- Confirm coverage. Check essential information without forcing delivery.
This is a production application of Kagan’s broader ideas about curiosity, patience, uncertainty, and giving people room to respond honestly.
Team Beverly Boy’s Takeaway
The strongest production lesson in Kagan’s interview is that authentic interviews cannot be forced.
Preparation matters, but so does listening. A producer needs to know when to ask another question and when to stop talking.
That balance often produces stronger material than trying to control every answer.
Conclusion
Authenticity on camera is less about getting people to “open up” and more about creating enough room for them to respond honestly.
Good interviewing gives people structure without deciding their answers for them.
This article is based on an interview originally published by Authority Magazine. Read the full interview here.
